2.7 91159 Gene Expression
Level 2
Four credits
External
This achievement standard involves demonstrating understanding of gene expression.
1 Gene expression involves a selection from the following biological ideas and processes:
2 Biological ideas and processes relating to nucleic acid structure and nature of the genetic code are selected from:
3 Biological ideas and processes relating to the significance of proteins are selected from:
4 Biological ideas and processes relating to protein synthesis are selected from:
5 Biological ideas and processes relating to the determination of phenotype via metabolic pathways are selected from:
6 Biological ideas and processes relating to the effect of the environment on genotype through mutations are selected from:
7 Biological ideas and processes relating to the effect of environment on expression of phenotype involve ways that environmental factors may change phenotype without changing genotype.
Level 2
Four credits
External
This achievement standard involves demonstrating understanding of gene expression.
1 Gene expression involves a selection from the following biological ideas and processes:
- nucleic acid structure and nature of the genetic code
- significance of proteins
- protein synthesis
- the determination of phenotype via metabolic pathways
- effect of environment on genotype through mutations
- effect of environment on expression of phenotype.
2 Biological ideas and processes relating to nucleic acid structure and nature of the genetic code are selected from:
- molecular components and their role in carrying the genetic code: nucleotide monomers, deoxyribose and/or ribose sugar, phosphate, nitrogenous bases, complementary base pairing resulting in coding and template strand
- nature of the genetic code including triplets, codons and anticodons
- redundancy due to degeneracy within the code.
3 Biological ideas and processes relating to the significance of proteins are selected from:
- proteins as the products of gene expression: DNA à mRNA à polypeptide or protein
- identification of one gene à one polypeptide relationship
- significance of proteins is limited to their structural and catalytic role in living things.
4 Biological ideas and processes relating to protein synthesis are selected from:
- the role of DNA sequence in determining the structure of a protein and how that protein is produced (transcription and translation)
- the role of enzymes in controlling the process (specific names of enzymes are not required).
5 Biological ideas and processes relating to the determination of phenotype via metabolic pathways are selected from:
- biochemical reactions are catalysed by specific enzymes and every enzyme is coded for by a specific gene(s)
- biochemical reactions do not occur in isolation but form part of a chain reaction so that the product of one becomes the substrate of another step in metabolism
- phenotype is determined by the presence, absence, or amount of specific metabolic products.
6 Biological ideas and processes relating to the effect of the environment on genotype through mutations are selected from:
- mutagens (specific mutagens are recognised but their effect at molecular level is not required)
- the potential effect on genotype and phenotype of gene mutations at the gene level.
7 Biological ideas and processes relating to the effect of environment on expression of phenotype involve ways that environmental factors may change phenotype without changing genotype.